The Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME) is considering launching Bitcoin trades on its platform due to increasing demand for digital assets.

CME Group, the largest futures exchange globally, is in discussions to introduce Bitcoin trading services. This move aligns with the growing interest in digital assets within Wall Street. Sources familiar with the matter reveal that CME is communicating with traders interested in Bitcoin, although no official announcements have been made yet.

These discussions follow the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission’s (SEC) recent approval to list spot Bitcoin exchange-traded funds (ETFs) on CME. This is in addition to CME’s existing crypto futures products. Initial investments in these ETFs from institutional investors were significant, but recent market sentiment has cooled, resulting in minimal inflows for many ETF issuers.

If CME proceeds with its spot trading business, it will likely operate through the EBS currency trading venue in Switzerland, benefiting from the region’s robust crypto trading regulations.

In early 2024, the SEC approved multiple spot Bitcoin ETFs for listing on major U.S. exchanges, including Nasdaq, NYSE, and CBOE. This approval came after a decade-long pursuit of such products. However, the SEC remains cautious about approving options for spot Bitcoin ETFs, raising questions about whether these should adhere to the same regulations as stocks.

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